Chapter 047: The Skill of Driving a Ferrari with One Hand

Not long after, the company received a check for one million dollars from the investigative team, just as promised. The other party kept their word, and Li Lekang, who had once looked down on them, found his opinion shifting a little.

After all, a million dollars, once exchanged, was truly delightful!

For most Americans with only meager savings, a million in cash is an astronomical figure. Though it still wouldn’t buy you a house in a wealthy neighborhood of Los Angeles, elsewhere, life would be very comfortable.

On Rodeo Drive, as long as it wasn’t a limited-edition Hermès, Li Lekang could freely buy nearly any luxury item. The purchasing power of the dollar was formidable; a pair of Gucci sneakers was just over a thousand dollars, summer clothes only a few hundred. He could buy in bulk to fill his wardrobe.

He even bought Alexander McQueen for his girlfriend—after all, she couldn’t be hanging out with him for nothing.

He delighted in wandering through Victoria’s Secret, ensuring he didn’t miss out on any of the perks he deserved.

For men’s accessories—watches like Rolex—tens of thousands of dollars were considered cheap. But, as in China, the sought-after models were almost always out of stock; the sales staff could only show you pictures in the catalogue.

Li Lekang had wanted to see the Black Submariner, but instead went next door to Blancpain for the Fifty Fathoms.

Blancpain was even more of a pioneer in diving watches. Wearing it while swimming or surfing, he could plunge into the water with confidence, leaving his watch on without a second thought—that was true composure!

Buying a car was much the same. At the lower end, prices in China and the US weren’t too different, but luxury and sports cars were noticeably cheaper in America, thanks to low import taxes. A Mercedes-Benz S560 could indeed be had for around $120,000 or $130,000.

Of course, it wasn’t the case that every middle-class person drove an S-Class down the street. Though salaries were paid in dollars, Americans’ consumption habits were different from his own. Take Daisy, for example—her income wasn’t low, yet her pockets were always empty, living paycheck to paycheck.

So, driving a $100,000 car marked you as wealthy locally. If you drove a Mercedes or BMW, Americans would still think you were rich, contrary to some people’s claims that every waiter in the “beautiful country” drives a 7-series or S-Class. With American spending habits? Dream on. Maybe a Honda is more realistic!

Those who drove supercars were naturally the wealthy, the privileged, free to enjoy turning heads, and here, plenty of people knew their cars.

Today Li Lekang took advantage of some free time and brought a girl to browse the car market.

Sandra wore an alluring skirt as she accompanied him, her graceful figure drawing attention wherever she went. People’s first impression was always that Li Lekang was either very rich or very famous.

This spared Li Lekang from having to flaunt designer brands or watches to display his status. He could dress modestly, and simply bring Sandra along—an absolute winner!

Sandra was in a cheerful mood, having just won the right to go shopping by beating Daisy at a game of rock-paper-scissors. Li Lekang was now a celebrity, and going out with him guaranteed exposure.

Dressed up beautifully, a woman must bloom radiantly before the camera!

Now, Li Lekang visited the Lamborghini dealership. Dealers here operated a little differently than in China—some sold new and used cars together, some even grouped different brands.

But the Lamborghini showroom in Beverly Hills still had its own style: various models lined up, Aventador, Huracán, and even the SUV, all displayed with excellent color schemes.

Li Lekang hadn’t made a specific choice, but he wasn’t considering the SUV since he already had the "Imperial Bath" at home, along with John and Doug, two burly, bald bodyguards. Sorry, the Urus was still just a little brother!

The Aventador’s scissor doors were impressive, but the convertible required manual assembly and disassembly; a sudden rain would leave you in a sorry state. Worse, with the traditional high-temperature engine, you risked being stranded in summer if your constitution couldn’t handle it.

The Huracán had an electric convertible, but no scissor doors, and no V12. Something felt missing. In this era of electric transition, the naturally aspirated V12 was something to enjoy sooner rather than later!

So after a round of browsing, Li Lekang felt uninspired and headed over to the nearby Ferrari dealership.

The massive Cadillac Escalade stopped at the Ferrari entrance, and one of the black-clad bodyguards opened the rear door. Li Lekang, wearing sunglasses, stepped out, his stunning companion taking his arm as they strode boldly into the showroom.

With such an impressive entrance, the sales staff inside perked up immediately, enthusiastically introducing him to the sporty flair of the Apennine Peninsula.

Ferrari’s F1 team had underperformed in recent years, but their sports car business was booming. They were the only ones who could boldly claim that their limited-edition models held their value.

The 250 GTO had recently broken another auction record, fetching a staggering price of over $50 million—enough to buy two or three dozen Bugattis, a truly savage sum.

But Li Lekang wasn’t a VIP and couldn’t buy a limited edition. His goal was clear: naturally aspirated, large displacement!

Turbo engines just didn’t do it for him—turbo cars weren’t good for cruising the streets.

The choice was obvious: Ferrari’s only V12 model currently on sale, the 812.

The showroom happened to display an 812 GTS, a hardtop convertible.

Electric roof, two doors, two seats, full V12 fervor. Though it was a comfortable GT, it boasted 800 horsepower and could sprint to 100 km/h in under three seconds—a true combination of comfort and performance.

Li Lekang had no desire to take it to the track, so the 812 GT model suited him perfectly. It was the kind of car you could drive to a formal dinner in a suit without seeming out of place.

If you arrived in a mid-engine 488, it would seem a bit youthful and flashy.

Li Lekang was instantly taken with it. The car started at $400,000, with options and a wait time of six months to a year for custom orders.

But when he asked the sales staff, he learned a batch of cars would be arriving soon, priced between $450,000 and $500,000. He didn’t hesitate, choosing a red one for $470,000, and promptly signed a check for the full amount.

For such a hot item, a deposit couldn’t compare to full payment; full payment meant a binding contract with the dealer, and the cost of backing out would be high.

With the contract signed, it was set in stone. The sales staff told him it would arrive in about a month. While he missed out on customization, he saved time.

Thinking of soon mastering the skill of driving a Ferrari with one hand, Li Lekang was elated.

Sandra, beside him, couldn’t help but sigh—how wonderful it was to shop without checking the bill.

He could only think: this was exactly the life he wanted!

Simple and a little vulgar, perhaps—just driving his Ferrari, with a curvaceous beauty beside him, circling the streets like a happy child, revving the engine for attention, basking in the envy of onlookers.

After finishing the paperwork, they left.

After enough shopping, they went for an outdoor coffee. The two bald bodyguards stood nearby, fulfilling their duties or perhaps signaling to people: a celebrity is here, take your photos!

The sound of telephoto lenses clicking soon filled the air.

He was recognized by the paparazzi, as he’d hoped, and made it onto the cameras.

He left them with a dashing silhouette and a barrage of shutter clicks like machine-gun fire.

He disappeared into the streets.

The life of a celebrity is indeed plain and somewhat dull.

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